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TRP: Goro and Morgan (Calimport Date)
Day 358, Calimport. ' ' Goro chose a bar he'd always liked going to during his stint here last year. It was quiet, never crowded. And they served those really good yogurt drinks that didn't have any alcohol in them. Goro ordered one and took the most discreet table he could find in a back corner, like usual. ' ' He slurped his drink, staring at the entrance. IZZY Morgan didn't keep him waiting long. He hadn't put much of a dent in his drink when she came strolling in -- tan from the sun, without her usual black long sleeves and cloak, but with a flowy gray tunic instead, her rapier belted over it. Her hair was pulled up in a loose ponytail, the underside recently shaved. ' ' She still had her pocket watch. It was on a chain around her neck, now, though, nicely polished, and she played with it absently as she grinned at the barkeep and got herself a fruity, fizzy drink. She ambled over to his table and plopped down across from him, propping her boot up on the edge of the table and appraising him, looking a little amused. ' ' "What's up, doll?" LINA She caught him off-guard. Just... everything about her. He hadn't taken his eyes off her while she ordered her drink, and he still managed to be speechless for a second when she sat down. ' ' He gulped some more of his yogurt stuff to buy himself time. ' ' "You look great," he said finally. IZZY "Shit, yeah, I do," she agreed. She clicked her watch open and closed without looking at it, then dropped it. "You look, uh, the same." LINA "I'm growing my hair out," he said weakly. IZZY She dropped her boot off the table to lean across it a bit, squinting at him. "Oh, you are. Hey. All right, then." LINA He looked down at the table, jiggling his leg. He moved his cup in little circles. IZZY Morgan looked at him for a sec. ' ' "Sooo," she said. LINA "How's the vampire thing going?" he asked, still watching the table. IZZY "Oh, it's a real fucking dud, so far. All our leads are either weird blood cults or actual vampires who just wanna eat us. Dicks," she added. LINA Well, good. That'd make what he had for her more worth the trouble. He leaned to the side and dug through his bag until he pulled out a small, leather-bound notebook, tied closed with a button and a piece of twine. He slid it across the table to her. ' ' "There's this wizard kid Ombre's friends with," he said. "Real fuckin' weirdo. But I asked him if he knew anything about vampires, and turns out, he knows a fucking ton. Like, I was pretty sure he had to be a vampire himself to know all that, but he said he wasn't and he doesn't seem like he can lie for shit. Anyway. I asked him to tell me everything he knew, and I took notes, and put it all in there. I tried to organize it so it kinda made sense, you know, like a book." IZZY "Oh." Her eyebrows went up. She hesitated a little before laying her hand on the book. "Yeah, that Nico kid. He's great." Then she pulled it closer, her thumb toying with the button. "Uh, thanks. That's ... Thanks." LINA "Uh huh," he mumbled. "Sorry." IZZY "Pfff," she said. LINA Goro slurped some more of his drink. IZZY "Still off the booze, huh?" LINA "Eh? Oh, yeah. I guess. Sometimes I have a little." IZZY "So, y'know there's places to meet up other than bars, right?" she teased, swirling her own drink. LINA "Sure, but uh." He shrugged. "Seems low pressure, you know? If I'd asked you to meet me in a restaurant, it might've looked like a date, or something." IZZY "People go on dates in bars, doll." LINA "Do they?" He winced, thinking of how he'd asked Sam to go to one. IZZY "Oof. Yep. What, the boyfriend don't take you out places? Sorry, fiance," she appended. LINA "He does," Goro said defensively. "But... anywhere I go with him is kind of a date. So I dunno about normal people." IZZY "God. That's adorable." LINA "What?" IZZY She laughed. "Nothin', nothin'." LINA "Pff." He ran his fingers through his hair, then tugged at the ends of it. "We're getting married soon." He couldn't decide if he should invite her to the wedding or not. IZZY "That's great. I'm happy for you, man." LINA "You wanna come?" he blurted. Oh, motherfucker. IZZY "Oh, uh. Eh. I dunno." She fidgeted with the book again, pulling it into her lap. "I might be busy, y'know? Or something. When's it going down?" LINA "Uh, I dunno. Never mind." He pulled his feet up on the chair, knees against his chest. He drummed his fingers against the side of his glass. "Thanks for coming, by the way." IZZY "I mean." She paused. "Yeah. Never mind. I'm not busy now. It's all good." LINA "Just wanted to catch up, and uh. Well, I met some people. Thought you might think they're interesting." IZZY "Oh, yeah?" Morgan tilted her head, leaning back and settling in a bit, studying him. "I do like interesting people." LINA "Some asshole and his patron. A demon, who's trying to get onto our plane." IZZY She stared at him. "No shit?" LINA He cracked a smile, 'cause he knew he'd got her. "No shit." IZZY "Goddamn. Where do you find these people, Goro? You keep some weird fuckin' company, buddy." LINA "I didn't. They found me." He made a face, since he was still pretty creeped out by it. "They're wanting to take down the church, or at least get at the goodies inside it, and I guess they got wind of me being someone who was interested in the same deal." IZZY "Huh." She tilted her head back and forth, thinking. LINA "They're gonna talk to me in my dream tonight. Wanna come?" IZZY She stopped and squinted at him for a long moment, then broke into a little snicker. "Now that's a weird fucking date." LINA He smiled a little. "Yeah, well. I'm a weird guy." IZZY "Hmm." She drummed her fingers on the table. "I dunno. I mean, sounds weird. I like it. What's in it for you, though?" LINA "I want a second opinion. Y'know, on whether I should murder 'em or work with 'em." IZZY She snorted a bit. "Are those the only options?" LINA Goro paused to consider that seriously. "Can't think of any reason I wouldn't help them, or get their help, that wasn't also a reason they needed to be dead. So yeah." IZZY She snorted in amusement. "You're a real particular kinda person, man. All right. What's in it for me?" LINA "Well, y'know. If they do wanna take over the world, I figured you'd wanna be in on it." IZZY "Eh." She propped her boot up on the edge of the table again and pushed her chair back on two legs, thinking. "I dunno. Kinda over the world domination thing. Turns out to be a lot of work. I'm mostly looking to not die. Maybe I could get immortality outta this demon fucker." LINA "Maybe." Goro frowned and thought for a minute. "I think I know a lady who's immortal." IZZY Morgan raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?" LINA "She's a druid. She's real fucking mean. Too mean to die, maybe. You could ask her for tips." IZZY "Oh, pf." She waved it off. "Yeah, druids just live a long fucking time. Old as the trees, and shit. Nah. Too much of a city girl for that crap." LINA "Huh. I gotta figure out a way to be a druid, somehow. So I can live as long as Hansel. I'm a fuckin' city boy myself, though. But I really like chickens and goats and shit. I'm learning." IZZY "Chickens and goats and shit." Morgan smiled at him, looking deeply fond and amused for a moment before shaking it off. "Uh, anyway. I don't know." She let her chair back down onto all four legs and rested her elbows on the table. "I'll talk to this guy, sure. These guys, whatever. Maybe I'll find out something useful once I'm in it, so to speak. Eugh, dreams, though." Her lip curled a bit in disgust. LINA "He takes you to a real fancy place," Goro offered. "Like, this fancy bedroom." IZZY "Sounds skeevy. He one of those warlock patrons that fucks people?" LINA "Apparently not. It's all chaste and shit between 'em. Cuddles only." IZZY She narrowed her eyes. "Sounds fake." LINA "That's what I thought. But you shoulda seen the look on the guy's face when we accidentally walked into a brothel. Long story." IZZY Morgan had been in the middle of taking a sip of her drink, and sputtered around it, coughing and laughing. LINA "The demon didn't try and hit on me, either. And lemme tell ya, I might've been receptive." Goro wolf whistled softly. IZZY "Y'know, I feel like you've got a real particular type, doll," Morgan said, still grinning as she wiped up the drink she'd choked on. LINA "What, like, people who could kill me? I'm telling you, though, his bone structure was gorgeous." IZZY "Well, guess I don't have to take your word for it." LINA "Yeah. Yeah, see? You in, then?" IZZY She clicked her tongue and pointed at him, winking. "When's the date?" LINA "Uh. Tonight." He grimaced a little. "Well, I mean, he's coming for me tonight. And then I was gonna tell him your name. But if you want to wait a while, I can hold off." IZZY "Nah, I'm not busy tonight." ' ' LINA "Ah. Well, then." Goro drummed his fingers on the side of his glass, then picked it up to gulp from. IZZY "Hey, don't choke yourself." LINA "It's liquid," he said when he was finished. IZZY "You can choke on liquid. Trust me, been there. Ten seconds ago." LINA "That's not choking; it's coughing. There's a difference." IZZY Morgan laid her hand on her chest and dramatically bowed her head, holding back a grin. "Of course. You're right." LINA "'Course I am. I'm a medic." He winked at her. IZZY "Well, I can hardly argue with that. I'm but a meager spy, assassin, and general criminal mastermind," she said contritely, then grinned more openly. LINA "Pfff. Small fry, yeah." He waved a hand dismissively. IZZY "Yeah, yeah, totally." Morgan leaned back and looked at him for a moment. "Y'know, I missed this." LINA Goro first felt the urge to bite his thumbnail, then remembered he was supposed to be chewing on the bracelet instead. He didn't wanna do either right now, though, and he felt himself starting to scowl with the effort of resisting, and then he thought about how he shouldn't fuckin' scowl after what she'd just said. All in all, his face probably just made a bunch of weird twitches. ' ' "Uh huh." He shifted in his seat and fiddled with the hem of his sleeve. "I missed it too. A fuckin' lot." IZZY She squinted at him. "You, uh. You good, over there?" LINA "Am I ever?" ' ' Hah, he was getting more honest. Used to be he'd always tell people he was good and fine. IZZY She blew air through her lips. "Not since I've known you." LINA "So yeah." He drummed his fingers on the table. Goddamn, it seemed like the better he got to know people, the harder it got to hold on to his cool. Just slipped right out of his fingers as soon as he got feelings. He was constantly fucking embarrassing himself in front of everyone who lived in the castle, and the Grangers, and fuckin' Morgan now, too. ' ' In light of that--the losing battle--he propped his elbow on the table and started gnawing at his bracelet. IZZY Morgan blinked at him. "Whatcha got there, doll?" LINA He stopped chewing long enough to hold his arm out and let her get a closer look--but not too close, and only for a second. "It's a bracelet for chewing on, so I stop chewing on my fingers and shit." IZZY "Oh, huh." She went from looking kind of amused to intrigued. "Shit, that's a good idea." LINA Goro grunted in agreement and went back to chewing. IZZY "Well, anyway." She shrugged. "Just, uh. Counting down 'til it's a sensible time for sleep, I guess? I really didn't have shit else to do today." LINA Goro thought for a second, then smacked his mouth, satisfied for the time being. "Hey, d'you like massages?" IZZY "God, no." She wiggled her fingers menacingly. LINA "Oh, right, the whole--" Goro pressed his mouth shut. Dumbass. "I know a lady near here who gives the most amazing neck rubs, is all." IZZY Morgan rolled her head from side to side, thinking, and little reluctantly said, "I guess it'd be something to do. As long as it's just a neck rub." LINA Goro snorted softly and shook his head. "Nah, we don't gotta. We could just..." He thought through some of the other things he'd liked doing during his stay here. But he hesitated. "Makes me a little nervous being in Calimport, honestly. I mean, this place is okay, but." IZZY "Oh. What, because of the whole dragon thing?" LINA "Uh." He shook his head, eyes on the table. "My, uh. My mother lives here. Not the good one." IZZY "Ohhh." Her eyebrows went up, and almost reflexively, she asked, "You want me to kill her?" LINA Goro blinked a few times. "Uh. Maybe?" He started tracing a pattern in the wood grain. "Or maybe I should do it. Dunno." IZZY "Uh, well. There's nothing like a little matricide for some closure on your mommy issues," she offered. LINA Goro smiled faintly and almost laughed. He kept tracing his finger along the table. "Yeah. I mean, I--" He frowned. "I feel like she could still--" ' ' Hurt me if she was dead, he wanted to say. That was a frustrating feeling. She hadn't ever laid a finger on him, far as he knew. She shouldn't have any power over him. IZZY Morgan was quiet for a beat, waiting, then said, "Can't do shit if she's dead." She spun her finger around the rim of her glass. "Can't even disappoint you. Guarantee." LINA "Mm." He wondered suddenly if he was still hoping to get something from Jasmilia. On the one hand, he'd hoped never to see her again, but on the other... if she was dead, then... ' ' Ah, fuck. What a mess. ' ' "Anyway," he made himself say, still not meeting Morgan's eyes. "I don't know about any of that. Just don't like the idea of being out walking around through town, and her seeing me." IZZY "Yeah, I got you." She tapped her fingernails against the glass. "I can't just fuck off back to Skyport or whatever and disappear on Jasper, but we could go somewhere private, I guess." LINA Goro nodded, appreciating the offer. "Where you shacked up these days, anyway? Got something more permanent than a room at a mead hall?" That brought back the memory of trying to ask Sam where he lived. Goro knew it wasn't the same, but... it kind of was, also. "I mean, s'fine if you don't wanna tell me." IZZY "Yeah, me and Jasper got a place. I mean, it's no castle," she said, a bit dryly. "It's safe, though." LINA Goro snorted. "I dunno about that castle, anyway. Too many points of entry, you ask me. I think, sometimes..." He cracked half a smile and shrugged. "A little cottage in the woods, or some shit. Close enough to the castle to see everyone else, but it's a place that's just me and Hansel's. Shit's complicated, though. He's got a whole other husband, right? And then there's kids to think about. Bah. But. Y'know. Daydreams." IZZY Morgan stared at him. "Holy fucking Mask, do you have kids, now? A bitch goes to Calimport for a few months --." LINA Goro snorted and waved it off. "Nah, nah, nah. I mean, there's my sister, she's a kid, and I'm pretty much the one raising her now. And Hansel's got Jonn and Luci and Roddy. And... I think him and me might like more kids, someday? That's all." He said it like it wasn't very much. "I guess that's a lot. All I mean is, nothing new, is all." IZZY She let of a breath like she was relieved. "Whew. Okay." Then she squinted. "I mean, shit. Yeah, I guess this is the age people have kids, or whatever. Hey, isn't Hansel, like, way older than you, in half-orc years? He's probably past being anyone's daddy but yours, right?" She winked at him. LINA "Wait. Uh. What?" He felt himself flushing, just 'cause it seemed like something embarrassing. IZZY "Uhh." Morgan gave him a look, squinting a little and grinning almost hesitantly. "Y'know. Like." She scooted forward in her chair, leaning in, and propped her elbows on the table and her face in her hands, half closing her eyes and smirking. Her voice went low and husky. "Yeah, daddy, give me some." LINA Goro made a face and leaned back. "What?" IZZY "Pfff." She dropped the whole thing and waved it off, leaning back. "Look, some people think it's sexy." LINA Goro frowned into the distance. "I guess I could try it and see. He does make me... well, you don't need to know that." IZZY She bobbed her eyebrows at him. "Makes you, huh?" LINA "Pffff." Now he was really blushing. "Shut the fuck up." IZZY She kept bobbing. "Eh? Eh?" LINA "What? What, you wanna fucking know that bad, huh? Pffff." IZZY She pffff'd back at him and braced her boot on the table, chuckling to herself a bit. LINA "Anyway." Goro rubbed the back of his neck, probably red as a beet by now. "Hansel's gonna live longer. We're gonna... do this lifespan magic thing, or maybe he's just gonna live a long time 'cause he's a druid now, or something. He's got a lotta time left." IZZY "Oh, huh." She stared off into space for a beat, like she was thinking about something. "Hey. That's great." LINA "Yeah? What's up?" IZZY "Ah, who cares." She waved it off. "Psh, living a long time. Overrated. Being hard to kill, that's where it's at." LINA Goro shrugged. "Don't really care how long I live. I just... don't wanna be alone." IZZY "Yeah," she said quietly. "Yeah, that's the worst shit." LINA "You're always welcome at my place, y'know." He didn't know if she wanted to hear it, but he wanted to make it known, anyway. You never knew, maybe it'd matter in a hundred years. IZZY She snorted. It seemed kind of automatic. "Yeah, even if I'm a vampire?" It was sarcastic, but then she looked down to the book in her lap, and glanced away guilty, fidgeting with the button again. LINA "Yeah," he said, like it was obvious. "I mean. I guess unless you're there to drink my blood. None of that shit." IZZY "Hey, man," she said weakly. "Maybe you'll be into that. Don't knock it 'til you try it." LINA "Fff." He covered his neck protectively with both hands. "No." His mouth twitched and he bit the inside of his lip to keep from grinning. Alright, she'd started this. "There's only one thing I like stuck inside me, and it ain't your teeth." IZZY She snorted again, grinning back. "Oh, yeah? Tell me about it. Gimme the details." LINA "Oh my god." He moved his hands to cover his face. "What? What details?" IZZY Morgan leaned way across the table and stage whispered, "Tell me 'bout that dick, Goro." LINA "Oh my god." Goro put his hands in his lap and glanced around. Then he held his index fingers up a certain distance apart, then squinted through one eye as he made a ring with his thumb and forefinger. Then, he buried his face in his arms on top of the table. IZZY She snickered and reached out to ruffle his hair. "Mask. Is this an awkward time to mention that I fucked him? I mean, kinda." LINA Goro lifted his head off the table, eyes wide. "What?" IZZY "Ages back." She waved it off. "You know, when he and the other boytoy had their wedding thing, and I helped out? We were out late -- him and me, and that weird kid Jonn -- planning and shit, drinking, and after his kid left ..." She trailed off with a shrug. LINA Goro stared at her for a while, utterly unable to decide how he felt about that. He flopped back in his chair, closed his eyes and bowed his head, and Sent to Hansel. ' ' Did you fuck Morgan Wyn? IZZY There was a bit of a pause, then, Oh, fuck, I did, yeah. Kinda. Forgot. Sorry. LINA "What the hell does kinda mean?" Goro asked Morgan. "No, never mind. I don't wanna know. Wait, yes. I do. What the fuck. How was it?" IZZY "Uh, not great, hence the kinda," she drawled, then hesitated, and added, "I mean, it wasn't him. It was me. Going through some shit." LINA "Oh. Yeah, I been there." Actually, he wasn't sure he'd been there in the same sense she meant it, but, eh. "I bet he was nice about it, though." IZZY "Yeah." She wrinkled her nose. "Fucking weirdo." LINA Goro frowned. "Hey. What the fuck." IZZY "What? Who wants to cuddle a one-night stand. Oh -- oh my god. You do. That's right. Nah, never mind, I get the whole thing you boys got goin', now." She gestured with a hand like Hansel was there, and she was flicking it between him and Goro. "Makes sense." LINA "Well--why wouldn't--what--cuddling's fucking great, okay? Did you let him hug you at all? He can squeeze so fucking good." IZZY "Gross. Nah. I don't fuckin' know him like that." LINA "Huh." Goro scratched his head idly. "So, like... for you, cuddling's more intimate." IZZY She shrugged. "Yeah, I guess you could put it like that, if you're a fuckin' nerd." LINA He scoffed. "Alright, how would you put it, Ms. Criminal Mastermind?" IZZY "Fuckin's cheap but emotions are expensive?" LINA Goro blinked and looked off to the side, trying to parse that. "Alright. I just don't..." He squinted and ran his hands through his hair. "Well, I dunno. Guess I'm different. I don't--I mean, I get kinda weird about people touching me at all. Fucking's not cheap for me. And I guess if it was just fucking, and the person didn't wanna touch me other than that, I'd feel bad. And not safe." He glanced at Morgan. "I'm sorry if I made you feel weird." IZZY "Oh, uh." She shifted uncomfortably, looking taken aback. "Eh. Yeah, just ... different, y'know." ' ' Morgan clicked her fingernails against her glass for a second, looking away, then decided to say more. ' ' "It's, uh -- y'know, I used to sleep around a lot, back before the Queen, and no one ever made me feel ... safe, like that, 'til Ysra. And you know how that story ends, so." She shrugged a little. LINA Goro considered that. He let himself wonder, for a minute--no matter how outlandish it seemed--what it would do to him if Hansel stabbed him in the back. He guessed it'd probably fuck him up beyond belief. And yeah, he might not be so keen on cuddling after that. ' ' That made him deeply fucking sad for Morgan, honestly. But he knew she wouldn't like hearing it. Knew she didn't wanna dwell on shit. So he just nodded. "Yeah. I getcha." ' ' He folded his hands together and twiddled his thumbs. He half smiled. "He is real good at fucking, though. Just, for the record." IZZY "Pssshhh." LINA He leaned across the table and whispered, grinning, "He's the only one allowed to stick it in my ass." IZZY "Oh yeah?" She leaned in, too. "Bet I could change your mind on that one, doll." LINA "Pfff. No." Goro sat back, covering his face again, but still grinning. "I'm fucking telling you, he's the only one." Maybe a beat too late, he realized, "You ain't got anything, anyway." IZZY She grinned and propped up on her elbows again. "Oh, honey. Nah. They got solutions for that problem, trust me." LINA Considering some of the shit Hansel had brought home to play with, Goro wasn't surprised. "Well. Still. Off-limits." IZZY "Pffft." She leaned back, still smiling. "Nah, I'm joking around anyway." LINA Goro let out a breath and dropped his hands, relieved. "Good. Damn straight." He looked off to the side, eyes distant and vaguely dreamy. "Sometimes I think it'd be hot though if someone else tried and Hansel was like, nah. And roughed 'em up. So, you watch out, honestly. He's real protective." IZZY She snorted. "Sorry, your boy's got nothing to worry about from me." LINA "'Less you sneak into my house in a few months and sink your teeth into my neck?" IZZY "Hey." She held her palms up. "By invitation only." LINA He smiled. "Oh yeah. That is how you always liked to run things. Never forced nobody. Y'know, I still think it's a goddamn shame I couldn't talk my cousin into working with you." IZZY "Eh, you destroy a woman's livelihood, and all." She shrugged. "I don't blame her." LINA "Yeah, and honestly, neither of you strike me as being much good at compromise, so." Goro shrugged back. "God, that motherfucker Finch, though." IZZY "God, that scheming-ass backstabbing motherfucker." She said it pretty mildly, though. "Jonn, too. What a little shit." LINA Goro shook his head. "Nah. Nah. Jonn just does what Finch tells him to do. He's too malleable, is the problem." IZZY "Psh, nah, he had a spine when it came to Baron," she pointed out. "Dog with a fucking bone, let me tell you." She grimaced a bit. "Blue really fucked that situation up." LINA "Well, yeah. Yeah, for sure. He, uh." Goro winced. "He gets... real fucking vicious when someone hurts the people he cares about." IZZY "Must get it from his dad," she said dryly. LINA "Pff. Yeah. Maybe." Jonn had a different flavor of it, though. Was hard to explain, and Goro wasn't sure he wanted to. ' ' He tilted his head to one side to look through the windows across the room. "Hm. Hey. It's gettin' dark." IZZY Morgan followed his eye line. "Oh, yeah. I could probably go for a nap." LINA Goro grinned crookedly. "Your place?" IZZY "Pff, like you can sleep without your big orcy teddy bear." LINA "Hey. Shut up." He kicked at her weakly under the table. IZZY She laughed, drawing her legs back out of his reach, and paused for a minute, awkwardly. "I mean ... are you serious?" LINA "Well. Yeah. I mean." He rubbed his upper arm. "If it would bother you, or whatever, then nah. But I just figured, since I'm here. It'd be the easiest way to talk to you again after." IZZY "Uhh." She hunched her shoulders and thought for a beat, then relaxed them and drummed her fingers on the table. "Okay, listen -- no fucking around, here, I'm being for real -- do you mean fuckin', sleeping together, and shit? We can sleep in different beds, or whatever. That's fine. I just wanna ... know what you expect, here, you feel me?" LINA Goro shrugged. "I don't care." Actually. "Wait. Are you gonna let me cuddle you if we're in the same bed? I cuddle. In my sleep." He even cozied up to Larkin every time they slept in proximity to each other. IZZY Under her breath, and almost like she couldn't believe it, Morgan muttered, "God, that's adorable." She considered a bit more. "I'll, uh, give it a shot." ' ' She thought about how she hadn't been able to sleep with Jasper, at first. How fucking badly she'd wanted to -- wanted to just relax and let herself feel safe again. And she'd laid there awake like a dumbass instead, like Jasper wasn't going to notice how tired she was, and how she kept grabbing little catnaps during the day. Jasper had noticed, though, and she'd ... made it okay. She was like that. ' ' Morgan also thought about how tired Goro had looked, that night he'd come to Stoic Hall, and how up in her room, she'd massaged his back and he'd cuddled against her, and without wanting to think it, she'd idly pondered on how nice it'd be if he'd fallen asleep, then. To go from all keyed up and nervous to relaxed. If she could do that to him -- or, for him, she guessed, maybe. ' ' It was good he'd had Hansel for that. Good she'd had Jasper. ' ' She cleared her throat and pushed her chair back. "Uh, anyway. It's not far." LINA Goro stood up after her and dug in his pockets for a few coins to toss on the table. "Lead the way, gorgeous." IZZY - - - ' ' They'd been renting a little cottage on the outskirts of Calimport. It was a bit isolated, though the nearest neighbors were in yelling distance, and it had a good view of the beach, which made up for how tiny it was. They didn't need that much space anyway. ' ' "Jasper's out following up on a lead," Morgan said, leading Goro inside. She knelt by the door to start unlacing her boots. "She won't be home 'til tomorrow." ' ' It was a very slight split level arrangement -- the entryway had a couple steps leading up and a couple steps leading down, but there was only an open railing and curtains separating the two. The recessed half had a small kitchen, partially sunk under the upper half, and a smaller sitting area. More of a breakfast nook than a dining room. There were some discarded clothes strewn around, and some drying on a line strung between the railing and the wall, fluttering slightly in the breeze coming in through a cracked window. ' ' The little table was stacked with books and maps, and once her boots were off, Morgan wandered over to add the book Goro had given her to the top of a stack. LINA "Neat," Goro said, looking around and admiring the place from the entryway. "You said it's safe? Tell me about your security." IZZY She snorted. "Well, usually the security is Jasper. Alarms spells, though." She drew a circle in the air with one finger. "All around the land, and the cottage." Then she pointed to the innocuous mat under his feet. "And that would've lit you up if you hadn't been with me." LINA He looked down at the mat and smiled. "Cool. Hey, someday you gotta tell me how your people managed to break into my bedroom, back at the castle." IZZY "Oh, teleportation, doll. Easy." LINA "Fuckin'." He snapped his fingers. "Knew it. I took measures, though. Not anymore. So, thanks for that." IZZY "Pffft. You're welcome." ' ' She tidied up the downstairs a little, clearing off the sofa and straightening the blanket that was folded over the back of it, then circled around to the upstairs, parting the privacy curtains and duck in and gesturing vaguely for Goro to follow. ' ' The upstairs was the smaller of the two sections -- all it had was a decent-sized bed and a bureau. The curtain panels drifted lazily and the sheets were rumpled, an assortment of mismatched blankets. One of them was recognizable as the quilt that had been on Morgan's bed, back at Stoic Hall. ' ' "We can close the windows, if you want," she offered. "It's not actually safer, but hey, whatever helps you sleep, eh?" LINA "Yeah. The sound--any noises coming through 'em will wake me up." He rubbed the back of his head. "I like... I like to inspect the locks, too. They do lock, don't they?" IZZY "Yeah, you bet. No problem, doll." She crossed over to close the bedroom window, and headed back to get the other one. "You do you." LINA Goro inspected each of them in turn, and then the door for good measure. They weren't up to his standards on their own--nothing ever was--but in conjunction with the alarm spells, he felt good about it. If there was anyone in the world he trusted to be mindful of thieves and murderers, it was this lady right here. ' ' He brushed off his hands like he was finishing up some hard work. "Alright, mastermind. We're good to go." He yawned. IZZY Morgan had already dropped down in bed and stretched out by this point, watching him idly. She yawned back and patted the bed. LINA Goro sat on the edge and unlaced his boots. He paused, looking at her over his shoulder. "Weapons in the bedroom?" IZZY "Pfffft." She waved it off without opening her eyes. "Shit, if you were gonna kill me, you would have by now." LINA "Psh. Can't argue with that." Nonetheless, he went about removing his knives and depositing them in a pile beside his shoes. "Ain't comfy to sleep with 'em, though." ' ' He lay down on his back next to her, folding his hands over his stomach and staring at the ceiling. IZZY She cracked an eye at him. "Y'know, it's funny how I'm fine with it now, and I wasn't back when you actually couldn't kill me. Getting shanked after banging someone is just such a fucking buzzkill, even if you don't really die." LINA "God, yeah. I can imagine. I mean, I never had it happen after banging, but just on its own, I think it's probably one of my least favorite feelings. Surface cuts are just whatever, you know, but when it hits ribs and shit? Or gets a lung? Motherfucker." IZZY "Pff, you're a fucking cleric." She swatted at him. "Try not having any magic to fix yourself with." LINA "I wasn't back when I was getting stabbed, yeesh." IZZY "Oh, nah? Shit, don't you still get stabbed, being a ..." She gestured vaguely. "What are you fuckers? Mercenaries? Whatever you are." LINA "Well, yeah. I usually have on armor and shit, though, so it's not as much blades straight into the torso, these days. Oh, sometimes arrows, though, youch." He frowned. "Still. Nothing hurts as bad as it did when I was fighting to eat and sleep." IZZY "Mm." Morgan rolled onto her side to look at him, incidentally moving a little closer. "Probably past the worst of it, then, eh? Got it all outta the way." She yawned again and closed her eyes, and murmured, "That's what I'm telling myself, anyway." LINA "Yeah. Maybe." He ran his thumb over the twine ring, wondering if he dared to believe that. ' ' He scooted a little closer to her, and paused to see what she'd do. IZZY She didn't move away. LINA "By the way, when I said I... cuddle people in my sleep. I didn't mean, like, anybody." IZZY "Oh, so, not hot demons, huh?" LINA "Psssh. Shut the fuck up. Listen." IZZY She snickered quietly. LINA He scooted a little closer. IZZY She didn't react apart from to keep smirking to herself. LINA "Y'know, Hansel and Mishka, obviously. And my sister, couple times she's had bad dreams and needs me to stay with her, and she likes to snuggle then. And then... well, family members, alright? That's normal." IZZY "Oh, god, you're telling the wrong person about normal, doll," she said sleepily. "Y'know how many family member hugs I've had in my life? Zero. Exactly none. You can tell me whatever you want is normal, and I gotta believe you." LINA Goro closed the last bit of distance between them and carefully put his arm around her. "I just think it's real fuckin' nice, you know, and I never got to do it when I was younger. Making up for lost time." He closed his eyes and let out a little sigh. IZZY She nestled in closer against him, and admitted, "Yeah. It is fuckin' nice." Category:Text Roleplay